Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-08-19
FRIDAY MORNING. AUG. 10. 1887.
A SUPPLICANT AGAIN At THE
DOOR,

thinking, gathered to consider an address
to the people. That is to say, to again
become supplicants to be entrusted with
their affairs. Of necessity they must have
bsen queer lot to look at. Four years ago
they were cavaliers ard Office holders of
high degree, to-day they are in the dust.
Four years ago they filled the State offices.
the Federal offices and the Perquisite Off
ces with that confident arrogance, that
lavish hand, and that recklessness of the
peoples opinion that accompanied the
conviction that they had come to stay,
and some timid Democrats seemed so i'm
pressed by the staggering swash-buckler
style of the Federal and State officers-for
that seemed to be characteristic of them
that they began to predict that Virginia
was to be Republican State. To-day all
is changed. Their leader has been un-
horsed and they themselves have been
turned into private life. Without any spe-
cifc information, we doubt if we would
be far wrong in guessing that seven
Fights of those who met with Gen. Ma
hone were ex office holders of some SORT or
another. That is the sort of timber that
has generally constituted the Generals
cabinet, either in the green when in Office
or in the dry when out.
They are asking the people to return
them to power For what? That they
may rspudiate the Riddleberger bill and
make compromise with the creditors
that will increase the taxes of the people -?
That they may get the State into more
financial troubles by which she shall have
to pay for more broken contracts, more
illegal allowances. That they may send
to the United States Senate Republican
who is not only obnoxious to the people
politically opposed to him. but to great
portion of his own party? That the people
may once more have repeated their expert
ence of the one man power which SO re-
volted them in 1882, that they rose in
little short of revolution That the mem
cries of the people may advert through
practical experience, all the calling
modification of the Second Reconstruc-
tion of Virginia
Be assured that for none of these things
will the people of Virginia return Gen.
Malone and his staff to power. If not for
these. possibly for some political principle
then? For what political issue? For
the Federal aid to education? The Dem
ocrats are for 1t. For justice from the
Federal government by compensation for
territory despoiled? The Democrats de-
mand it. For the election of a Senator
who will vote for protection to our labor
and products? The Democrats are pledged
to it, For lessening the surplus IN the Ma
tional Treasury taken by taxation from the
peoplep The Democrats demand it, For
the total repeal Of the internal revenue
taxa war measure which has cost Vir-
ginia more than enough money to have
twice paid the whole of her debt and that
of West Virginia-is it for that? The
Democrats demand its immediate repeal.
If not for these things then for what do
the Republicans appeal to the people to
turn over the State to them? It is for
THIS that the gate of the Nation shall be
once more closed on Virginia; that the
names of her people shall no longer appear
among those who have share in admins
tering the government of that Nation: that
she shall be again degraded into con-
quered province; that by carrying her this
year they may carry her next and elect
Republican President after which the
bow-string will once more be applied to
the State and her voice in adm mastering
the affairs of the Union be as as silent as
the grave. Was it not so during every
Republican administration even after Ma
hone had made his trade with Arthur Did
his bargain give Virginia anything save
the local Offices at the disposal of the
Federal Government; was Virginian
ever heard of for-foreign ministers place.
for national place, for anything but the
places within her border? Under Mahone's
representation she was taught her place as
dependent not as member of the Union.
But as long as Malone could rule the
State and could distribute the local pat
ronage among his henchmen. what mat
tered it to him whether Virginia was ever
heard of in the Union?
The average Democrat understands Gen.
Mahone's past and future policies pretty
well. He has been through the one and
experience teaches him to fear the other.
There is no Bourbon Democracy for the
General to abuse now. that passed away
with the debt question. and he has now to
encounter the new Democracy, which is
very different thing. 1t is the Bourbon
Republicans with which the General is now
handicapped. 1t is the Fairchild of the
three palsies. the Foraker, the futile, |
John Sherman and all the rest of his Sec
tional, malignant, Virginia hating counsel !
lors with whose utterances he will find |
himseh handicapped during his Virginia
campaign. This legislature is to elect |
Senator. Malone is the successful man
should the Republicans carry it., but the
people of Virginia, by very large major
lty, intend that she shall never be repre-
sented in the Senate by bird who focks
with such malignant un-Americans as
those.
AS to the Generals chances of success
- may say this; that having signally
failed three times to carry the State, with
himself in command and enjoying the full
confidence of a united party, there is little
for him to believe that
now with his party divided about his
leadership, some in rebellion against him,
and all with impaired confidence in his
once boosted invincibility. be can carry
Virginia. The Democratic party has
snly to put forth its strength now to put
IN end to the Republican party as a
formidable opponent. To do this the
party must thoroughly organize-an or
,anization which must extend down to